Carrabba's Italian Grill

Carrabba's Italian Grill
43455 W. Oaks Dr.
Novi, MI 48377
(248) 735-0400

I am always amazed at how Carrabba's manages to provide consistently edible fare even though they have more locations than Jiffy-Lube. I'm usually very turned off by this impersonal, corporate approach to the food biz, but this experience was different. Why? The manager came around to ask how our dinner was. Now I remember eating out with my parents when I was young, and as I recall there was never a meal that a manager didn't come by to check on our evening's pleasure. I don't know why spending a little time with the customer has become so difficult for restauranteurs today, but a little check-up goes a long way.

On to the food. I had a simple chicken pizza with pine nuts and three cheeses. It was good. I enjoyed it. Why was that so hard? I sat at the counter and chatted with the cook who prepared my dish, and he wasn't stressed out. He wasn't following some overly-complicated set of instructions. It was simple, easy and good. Now, granted, he didn't exactly know what was in the sauce he used (he called it "special sauce") but it's the end results that matter. The chicken was nicely seared which kept it flavorful. It's the little things that count.

My wife had the crab-cakes that were just somewhat dry. I really love good Baltimore crab-cakes, like the kind you buy in the Broadway market in Fells Point, but unfortunately you can't get those anywhere else. These were too heavy on the onion, too light on the crab, and too dry overall. But not the worst I've had, either. That award goes to Nora's Fish Tales in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and it's a different review altogether.

My wife really liked our dessert cake with banana pudding and strawberries, and the cook gave us an extra chocolate-covered strawberry and a small side dish of bitter-sweet chocolate for a personal touch. It wasn't my favorite, but I had to admit the cake was moist, which serves as impressive, nowadays.

Most of all, they don't have too many tacky banners, advertisements, and decorations to remind you that you're eating in a chain restaurant. When we get tired of searching for a decent meal, we always know we can go back to Carrabbas. My advice is to sit at the bar overlooking the kitchen. When it gets busy the cooks yell at the servers, which makes for free entertainment.

Overall Rating: Good

Rating Breakdown: Taste-Acceptable, Presentation-Good, Service-Good, Atmosphere-Good.

Price: $31 for two with dessert.